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Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk is a BrainPOP Social Studies video that was launched on May 22, 2017. Summary Appearances *Moby *Tim Transcript *Harvey Milk/Transcript Quiz *Harvey Milk/Quiz FYI Laws And Customs The past two decades have seen great strides in public acceptance of the LGBT community. This shift in attitude has been accompanied by some important legal milestones. Here are a few highlights: * 2003: Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. The day the law went into effect, 1,000-plus gay and lesbian couples streamed into town and city halls to seek marriage licenses. In the years following, more states moved to legalize gay marriage. (Unfortunately, this has motivated other states to specifically ban non-heterosexual marriages.) * 2009: The U.S. federal hate-crime law was expanded to include crimes motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. * 2011: Homosexuals were given the right to serve openly in the U.S. military. Congress repealed the 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, which allowed gays and lesbians to enlist so long as they kept their sexual orientation under wraps. Five years later, in 2016, the ban on transgender people in the military was also repealed. * 2013: In United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex spouses are entitled to the same benefits as heterosexual spouses. The decision invalidated part of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. The case came about after a woman named Edith Windsor inherited her late wife’s assets. She was taxed on the inheritance, which would not have happened if she had been married to a man. * 2015: Same-sex couples across the country earned the right to marry, with the landmark Supreme Court ruling Obergefell v. Hodges. "The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach," the Court declared, "a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons… to define and express their identity." Minutes after the ruling, gay and lesbian couples lined up in courthouses nationwide, eager to tie the knot. * 2016: Adoption for same-sex spouses was legalized in all 50 states. Citing the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, a federal judge declared a Missouri law banning adoption by gay couples unconstitutional. However, some states still have restrictions on fostering children to gay and lesbian couples. Graphs, Stats, And Numbers In recent years, the LGBT community has made significant progress in gaining public acceptance. That's perhaps especially true for LGBT youth. Still, there's much to be done—by schools, communities, and peers—to increase support for LGBT kids. Here's a progress report in statistics: * 88 percent of middle and high school students say they don't have a problem with LGBT peers. * 72 percent of kids report knowing a lesbian, gay, or bisexual student, and 16 percent report knowing a transgender student. Homophobic attitudes are less prevalent among those who know LGBT people than those who don't. * LGBT youth earn lower grades than their non-LGBT peers, and they're twice as likely to have skipped school because they've felt unsafe or uncomfortable. They're also three times as likely to say they don't plan on finishing high school. * More than half of students hear "gay" used as an insult often or very often. 43 percent hear other homophobic remarks with the same frequency. * Approximately a fifth of students report getting verbally harassed for gender expression, or for actual or perceived sexual orientation. * 36 percent of schools have a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), up from 21 percent a decade ago. Students in schools with GSAs report fewer homophobic remarks, less victimization based on sexual orientation, and more positive attitudes towards LGBT people. * 83 percent of teachers agree that they have an obligation to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for LGBT students. However, less than a third have attended any professional development on LGBT student issues, and less than a quarter on transgender student issues. * Just one-fifth of students say they've been taught about LGBT people, history, or events in their classes. Exposing all students to an inclusive curriculum goes hand in hand with less hostile school experiences for the population as a whole. Source: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's 2015 report, "Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited". Real Life Every student has the legal right to a safe school environment. If you're getting bullied because of your sexual orientation or gender expression, or for any other reason, there are things you can do to stop it. The goal of bullies is to take away your power and upset you. So, take away''their'' power by staying calm and ignoring them, or just walking away when they start bothering you. You can also surround yourself with friends. It's not as easy to pick on a group of people. In some cases, you can let bullies know that they're making you feel bad. They might not even realize that they're being mean to you. If these tactics aren't enough, or if you feel in danger, it's important to tell a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor. That person can support you, and also help those who are bullying understand that their behavior is wrong. If you see a peer getting bullied, don't be an idle bystander. Instead, support and stand up for the targeted kid. Or help him escape: Create a distraction and walk away together. Also, be kind: Emphasize that he doesn't deserve what's happening to him. Tell a trusted adult about the situation so she can intervene and offer guidance. Politics Although Harvey Milk eventually rose to political prominence, he was never accepted into the political establishment. He was considered an outsider even among prominent gay organizations, and he embraced this status. Getting elected to office wasn't Milk's goal: "I have never considered myself to be a candidate," he said. "I have always considered myself part of a movement." Holding office was a means for Milk to take on the political establishment and to represent the interests of marginalized groups. In addition to the gay community, that included other minority groups, the elderly, and the physically disabled. An example of this broad approach was Milk's support of unions. When he learned of a major beverage company's anti-union practices, he coordinated a protest. He rallied unions, along with minority grocers and gay-owned restaurants, to institute a boycott. That's when a group of people refuses to buy certain products. The pressure was effective, and the company changed its policies. Community-based initiatives like this one earned Milk the nickname "The Mayor of Castro Street." Despite several failed campaigns for public office, Milk held a high profile in 1970s San Francisco. His desire to put people above "politics as usual" boosted his popularity. One newspaper described the ongoing showdown as "Harvey Milk versus the Machine." Milk would spend hours walking around the Castro shaking hands, and he pulled in hundreds of volunteers to serve as human billboards. His fiery sidewalk speeches became a personal trademark. This tireless grassroots self-promotion earned him serious political momentum. Still, Milk found himself at odds with establishment gay organizations. One of the most popular was the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club (commonly known as Alice), the country's first group for gay Democrats. Known for its moderate approach, Alice's positions were much more conservative than Milk's. Most members thought he was too radical to win an election. Milk criticized the group for caring more about politics than about promoting gay rights. His supporters broke off to form the more left-leaning Gay Democratic Club. Milk ran again for City Supervisor in 1977. He was pitted against 16 other candidates, half of them openly gay. Alice endorsed a local lawyer named Rick Stokes, who became the frontrunner. But Milk's campaigning connected with voters: He spoke of the community's obligation to help LGBT people who felt disowned and rejected. And he vowed not only to protect gays but to empower them, too. His passionate platform earned him a key endorsement from the San Francisco Chronicle. Milk won in a landslide. Despite a term cut tragically short by his assassination, his election was both a symbolic victory for his supporters and a mandate for real change. FYI Comic There is none. Category:Social Studies Category:BrainPOP Episodes Category:Famous Historical Figures Category:2017 episodes Category:Episodes in May Category:U.S. History Category:The Law